DeBary to tackle hiring a new city manager Wednesday at 3 p.m.

BEACON PHOTO/PAT HATFIELD
DeBary City Hall

Range Riders suggest list of 12

By Pat Hatfield
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Dec 7, 2009 - 3:52:04pm

UPDATE DEC. 8 — The Range Riders, a group of retired city managers and executives, screened the pool of applicants for the position of DeBary city manager. They provided the city with a list of 12 candidates considered strong by the standards of the International City-County Management Association (ICMA) and the Florida City and County Management including Florida experience and "credentialed manager" status.

Range Rider Director Richard Kelton said tenure is also important.

"ICMA considers a minimum professional commitment for a member accepting a position to be two (2) years, unless there are extenuating factors," he stated in his letter recommending a list of 12 potential candidates.

Kelton recommended council members narrow the list further, then interview five or six candidates.

His list of 12 are:

• Alton Brown

• J. Douglas Drymon

• Robert Museus

• D. Wayne O'Neal

• Dan Parrott

• Ron Stock

• John Drago

• Mark Hoppen

• Jeffrey I. Naftal

• Anthony Otte

• Michael L. Stampfler

• Robert Yehl

John Drago was at the top of Council Member Jack Lenzen's list in August, when the council interviewed candidates then. Kenneth Weaver, who was offered the job then and is on the short list of at least two council members now, appeared on the Range Rider list neither time, Kelton said.

DeBary City Council members said at previous meetings they would consider the Range Riders' list, but would not be bound by it.

REPORTED PREVIOUSLY: The DeBary City Council will convene in special session at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9m to discuss the process of hiring the next city manager and the field of applicants for the administrative post. The meeting had first been set for today.

A "special meeting" means the City Council can vote and make decisions during a meeting that's not at a usual time or date. A workshop is for discussion only.

A total of 86 people have applied to become DeBary's next manager. That's the same number who applied during the summer, when the job was first advertised.

Kenneth Weaver of Johnson City, Tenn., accepted the job in August, then resigned after controversy about his appointment to the job. After the city re-advertised the job, his application was among the 86 received. He is on the top-10 list of two City Council members: Van Conoley and Vice Mayor Norm Erickson.

The City Council meets at DeBary City Hall, 16 Colomba Road. The meeting is open to the public.

— pat@beacononlinenewscom

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